Spring /Summer 24 - Music thread

@Compsearch DD2 is woodwind so I'm afraid I don't know much about strings - DD1 plays the viola but not to any level you'd be impressed by! Thinking about what helped DD2 though I think it was just being in a very musical primary school, regularly going to church so hearing live music (not the type with a choir, but we realised she might be interested in music when she started harmonising and moving her hands up and down in relation to the pitches she was singing). Maybe a musicianship thing would have taught something different, but I'm hoping just having been surrounded by this stuff will have been enough.

PS the choir is a really good shout though. He’s in his school one but it’s little more than childcare 🤣. Will see if there is something local.

Thank you @minisnowballs that is reassuring! I’m a brass player (went to conservatoire but don’t play professionally now) and I started at 9 in group classes at school and never really studied musicianship, so I know it’s not really necessary.

But I think (maybe string players can correct me!) this kind of training might be particularly helpful for string players where intonation is so tricky and adjustments are so much smaller. I also think DS is a little young to start learning actual music theory so thought this could be a good bridge.

If any music teachers in East London come across this there is a serious gap in the market!

If it is any help @Compsearch my dd2 didn't do any music at all until she was 7 (and then it was group state school flute lessons). She joined CYM in year 5 (so 9 years old) - and this was more than fine. She's mostly even fine at specialist school now, so I don't think lack of musicianship lessons have held her back.

How about something like the younger end of London Youth Choir or a local church choir to get some musical experience in?

Thanks! @Compsearch She's 11, plays piano and sings.
It's a shame there isn't better provision for what you need in London. That's a gap in the market!

Good luck @mustardrarebit! what age is your dc and what do they play?

So I emailed the local music hub (Newham) last night and they’ve said DS can’t attend any classes (other than their age 2-7 family fun band…) until he’s 7, so a year from now. Really disappointing! I feel like I’ve massively dropped the ball in not signing him up for CYM last year as it seems like that is the only option across London for what we are looking for (which is madness in itself).

That colourstrings link doesn’t look live @londonmummy1966 - last updated March 2023 - but I will send a message and see. I will also contact North London colour strings @CelloMumFlums but it looks from their website that you can’t get in unless you do their kindergarten programme. ☹️

We are waiting on Chetham's audition outcome. My nails are going to be non-existent in a couple of weeks!

There is a colourstrings in Greenwich https://www.facebook.com/p/Colourstrings-Early-Years-Music-classes-South-London-100054629341400/

@Compsearch I would recommend Colourstrings for Kodály-based musicianship classes. DD started in North London and then transferred to Kingston when we moved out of London.

That sounds great @chickentikkasalad! The junior ensembles in our local music hub start at 8 but perhaps there is some flexibility there - I will ask them.

If I could choose id have him doing a general musicianship type class that mixed aural training with theory which I would have thought would be ideal for his age group - so odd that our local music centre goes straight from baby rhyme time to junior orchestra with nothing in between.

@Compsearch we are not in London so can't help. We don't have any proper musicianship classes either. There's a beginners band at our music centre so I asked whether DS (7 now, 6 at the time) could join in some sort of percussion to improve his timing. They were very nice and said he could join in playing a tambourine to start with. It has improved his timing and general musicianship a lot by listening to the band and tapping out the beats. He's now having drumming lessons and love it! You could ask your school or local music centre something like that?

Thank you @londonmummy1966 and @minisnowballs. I applied
for the junior programmes at trinity, RAM and guildhall but DS didn’t get a place at any (random lottery selection at reception age) and you can’t get into any after that point (until auditions for the JD proper).

CYM entry is at year 1, so missed that (DS will be year 2 in sept) and the next entry point seems to be prelude strings for age 7+, so year 3 for DS. Year 2 seems
to be a bit of a dead zone in between the baby classes and the proper courses!

Blackheath Conservatoire could be a goer, though is a bit of a trek. Im surprised there doesn’t seem to be anything in Wanstead, Angel or Hackney, all of which would be easier for us to get to and I’d expect to be middle class enough to have a musicianship class 🤣

Good luck for all waiting to hear on places and scholarships.

Dd had a fabulous school concert this last week. It was at an external venue which was fantastic if a bit of a trek to get to. It showcased some of our sixth form musicians but was a great opportunity for dd to play movements of concerti with the soloists. One full orchestra, one string orchestra and one chamber orchestra. She also sang in the chamber choir and played in some other pieces too which were beautiful. She's still loving the new cello!

Waiting for choir voice trails outcome here, eek!

Blackheath Conservatoire also does something on musicianship I think @Compsearch .

Agree re CYM - they take at 5, but then not again until 8 I think.

Mine were quite late starters so don't know much more.

Junior Guildhall teach Kodaly but the bar for getting in for Year 3 is going to be quite high as there are a lot of kids who've been learning since they were in nappies.

Might be worth a look at Junior Trinity as well

A slightly more laid back vibe would be Centre for Young Musicians - they don't do Kodaly but it should be more age appropriate. However they don't take at ages 6 or 7 so you'd need to wait until he's 8.

Oh, are you awaiting audition results for music scholarships?

Same here! Being pressured by one school for a confirmation while waiting to hear from another. Trying to forget about it, but people keep trying to get us to commit to plans that are wholly dependent on this audtion outcome. I need to go into hiding for a bit!

I didn't see it but a friend of ds was asked to take part. However it looks like his bit ended up on the cutting room floor.

I am in audition result wait turmoil! Seems more agonising for the parents than the kids when they are little! Anyone else the same?

Will have to check out this piano programme!

I've recorded it but I didn't watch the last season. Will I be able to follow the plot?!

Anyone watching the piano on channel 4? I've got a friend in it but didn't manage to watch last night. Looking forward to catching up with it.

It's between practical exam periods at the moment @northerngoldilocks so fingers crossed for a quick turnaround. I hate waiting!

Ooh Taylor Swift @minisnowballs - lucky you and your DD! I would definitely take mine out for something like that - she will always remember it.

Is anyone in London and could recommend a musicianship class for a 6 yo? Saturdays would be ideal for us. We are East but happy to travel. My local music hub’s offering is for aged 2-7 and seems to be singing nursery rhymes and dancing which is completely inappropriate for DS at this point! I’d love to find him a Kodaly class or similar.

Definitely trickier when everyone lives together and harder to be vague about things! Amazing experience to go to Taylor swift though, I'm sure she can learn something from it too as well as just enjoying it.
DD has a whole 12 days till next school exam so is looking forward to lie ins and plenty of practice with some occasional studying thrown in. We're also finalising the purchase of her instrument this week as seller needed the money sooner than originally anticipated. It's not really going to feel like a new instrument day as she's had it on loan for a while now, but she can now put her NYO sticker on the case!